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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24022468">She Was Trying to Explain the Laws of Geometry</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nike_SGA/pseuds/Nike_SGA'>Nike_SGA</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Worst Witch (TV 2017), The Worst Witch - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Challenge Response, F/F, Fluff and Crack, Hecate Hardbroom's Rock Hard Abs, Julie Hubble MVP, Julie/Pippa BrOTP, Mostly Hicsqueak with a side of Hubblestar, Remix, Romance, Useless Lesbians, Yoga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:48:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,958</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24022468</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nike_SGA/pseuds/Nike_SGA</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Are you to say, Ada, that I have been dragged from my bed at six o’clock in the morning to be subjected to this…New-Age tomfoolery?”</p><p>or</p><p>Music teacher Pippa Pentangle hatches a plan to bring her new colleagues at Cackle's Academy boarding school together with the powers of Friendship and Yoga. Not everyone is feeling cooperative.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amelia Cackle | Ada Cackle &amp; Hardbroom, Drill &amp; Hardbroom (Worst Witch), Drill &amp; Pentangle (Worst Witch), Drill/Julie Hubble, Hardbroom/Pentangle (Worst Witch), Julie Hubble &amp; Pentangle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>86</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The Worst Witch Remix</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>She Was Trying to Explain the Laws of Geometry</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cliotheproclaimer/gifts">Cliotheproclaimer</a>.</li>


        <li>
            Inspired by

            [Restricted Work] by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cliotheproclaimer/pseuds/Cliotheproclaimer">Cliotheproclaimer</a>. Log in to view.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For the Worst Witch Remix 2020. </p><p>Clio the Proclaimer once wrote a lovely, fun team-bonding fic about the pressures of teaching, group therapy, and successful de-stressing. I made it AU and added some ass jokes. I hope it does her original justice!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pippa Pentangle has a plan.</p><p>Well, a plan of sorts. More of a sort of half-baked idea – but she’s well known for her half-baked ideas suddenly and without warning becoming plans (or full-blown catastrophes.) And this one had occurred to her as she’d watched Hecate Hardbroom, back rigid and shoulders painfully tight, march Mildred Hubble and Felicity Foxglove off for detention this afternoon after an abortive TikTok attempt that had resulted in Maud Spellbody being stranded on the roof of the west-wing, in the rain, with an iPhone blaring out nineties Brit-pop. </p><p>But she likes this idea. She believes in this idea. And more to the point, Pippa thinks it might actually do the school a world of good. If only she could work up the courage to actually set any of it in motion.</p><p>It is in this frame of mind that Pippa is to be found cross-legged on the staffroom sofa, dipping a custard cream into her tea pensively, and staring out of the window as if the answers to her problem are waiting outside.</p><p>"Penny for your thoughts?” </p><p>Pippa looks up and her face breaks with a wide grin. Dimity Drill returns her smile, and bounds over to sit across from her on an overstuffed armchair.</p><p>"I thought you were overseeing Felicity’s detention?" Dimity looks a little sheepish.</p><p>"I let her leave a bit early. We’d cleared out the sports cupboard, and…well I quite liked hearing ‘Common People’ after all these years. Reminds me of being their age." Pippa chuckles.</p><p>"So…" Dimity is sitting patiently, and Pippa blinks. "Thoughts?"</p><p>"What makes you think I'm thinking anything?" Pippa answers, innocently.</p><p>"That." Dimity gestures at Pippa’s mug. Pippa looks down. She had forgotten about the custard cream she had been dipping, and it has disintegrated into a disgusting soggy mess, making a slow but sure descent to the bottom of her mug. Pippa sighs.</p><p>"Oh, all right, maybe I am thinking." She leans forward, meeting Dimity’s eyes. "I’ve been thinking about how stressed and tense everyone seems here. And I get it, you’ve all been through a lot: the proposed takeover, the school nearly getting shut down, the whole place nearly freezing in that bad weather last December. And I know I wasn’t there, and I can’t even begin to imagine what it was like, but I’d like to help, if I can."</p><p>"Of course you would,” Dimity says, affectionately. Pippa may only have been at Cackle’s Academy boarding school for a few months, but with her bubbly demeanor and genuine enthusiasm, she’s already made fast friends with most of the staff here.</p><p>Most.</p><p>"Yes. But I don’t know how it would work. And Miss Hardbroom would hate it, for sure. And…oh, it’s useless, never mind it." Dimity frowns, but gets up and comes and sits next to her on the sofa.</p><p>"Tell me." Pippa looks over, takes a deep breath, reminds herself of all the ways this is a <em> good </em>idea, and adjusts herself on the cushion.</p><p>"All right. But promise not to laugh."</p><p>"Promise."</p><p>And so, Pippa tells her.</p><p>***</p><p>It is a good thing Pippa isn’t measuring their friendship by how Dimity keeps her promises. Once she gets the gist of Pippa’s idea she begins to giggle, and by the time Pippa has finished she is clutching at her sides, trying desperately to stop.</p><p>"I'm sorry,” she gasps, wiping away a tear. "Ignore me. It's brilliant." Pippa gives her a mock glare, and elbows her.</p><p>"But are you saying that because it is, or because you think it would be funny to see HB – "</p><p>"Because it is,” Dimity assures her. "It's a really, really good plan. And it’s doable too. I really think Miss Cackle might go for it."</p><p>"It's not her I’m worried about,” Pippa says, darkly.</p><p>Dimity chews her lip, side-eyes Pippa for a few seconds, and then seems to come to a conclusion to an argument she was waging in her own head.</p><p>"Alright. Look, I have a secret weapon when it comes to Hecate – and I don’t mind cashing it in now. You leave her to me." Pippa raises her eyebrows.</p><p>"Dimity Drill, do not play with me. What scandalous secret have you unearthed about Miss Hardbroom?" Dimity grins and taps her nose.</p><p>"That's for me to know, and you to find out when you get this approved by Miss Cackle. But don’t worry. If it goes ahead, Hecate won’t be a problem at all."</p><p>***</p><p>Pippa ponders Dimity’s words for the afternoon, tries to think what leverage she could possibly have over Hecate Hardbroom; wonders if perhaps she should find out before she asks Miss Cackle for permission. But talking to Dimity has bolstered her nerve, and not wishing to lose resolve (nor lose the window of opportunity provided by Miss Hardbroom’s preoccupation with Mildred’s punishment), Pippa knocks on the Headmistress’s door and explains her idea in full.</p><p>To her surprise, Miss Cackle isn’t in the least bit fazed.</p><p>“Oh, what a wonderful idea, Miss Pentangle!” Miss Cackle sparkles, clapping her hands together. “Just what the girls need. And Miss Drill is happy to help?”</p><p>“More than happy,” Pippa assures her, thinking back to how Dimity had grinned as she left the staffroom.</p><p>“So you should need the hall for about an hour, morning and afternoon, I’d think?” </p><p>“Actually, I thought it might be good if before we have any sessions with the pupils, we have a session with the teachers. Early in the morning, before the students are up.”</p><p>Ada looks up quickly. It never ceases to surprise Pippa, even after a full term at her school, how quickly Miss Cackle can go from smiling to sizing you up with a glance.</p><p>“Miss Pentangle,” Ada says, sharply. “Please tell me I am not to understand that the incident on the roof this afternoon was in an effort to make sure that Miss Hardbroom would be absent for this meeting?” Pippa’s eyes widen.</p><p>“No – not at all, Miss Cackle! But I do think that teachers can benefit from this just as much as pupils. You’ve all been through the mill, and I think some bonding as a staff would make us stronger, and more united as a cohort.”</p><p>Miss Cackle leans back in her chair, steeples her fingers and looks over the top of them at Pippa. Pippa hasn't felt as scrutinised since her old headmistress caught her smoking behind the bike sheds, and she has to force herself to look Miss Cackle in the eye, but eventually the older woman relaxes, and smiles.</p><p>“You may be right,” she admits. “In fact, I am quite sure you are. I tried my best, after the upheaval of last year, but I fear I was too affected by things myself to offer the staff any kind of comfort.”</p><p>“Of course, Miss Cackle,” Pippa says seriously, “and that’s not your fault. And I’m not saying this is a catch-all solution, either – but I think maybe if we were a little more open with each other, things might seem easier to handle.”</p><p>Ada nods. “It will have to be <em>quite </em>early in the morning, however. I’m sure none of us want the students to see us…”</p><p>“Absolutely,” Pippa rushes to assure her. </p><p>“Then I greatly look forward to it, Miss Pentangle,” Ada beams, “although I feel duty-bound to warn you that there are certain members of staff who will not take it…lying down, so to speak.”</p><p>“Well, I thought so, too,” Pippa says, frowning. “But then Dimity said she’d talk to her. She said she had some sort of secret she could use for leverage…”</p><p>Miss Cackle’s expression goes from mild perplexity to almost child-like mischievousness in seconds. </p><p>“Ah, yes. Well. As I said, Miss Pentangle, I greatly look forward to it.”</p><p>***</p><p>“A <em> yoga </em>class.”</p><p>Hecate Hardbroom’s tone is saturated with disdain, and from her position hovering outside the gym hall door, Pippa can see she could hardly look more disgusted if Ada had suggested they all dance naked around a bonfire. She winces apologetically at the woman following behind her.</p><p>It would appear that in informing the staff of their early meeting time, Ada had omitted to inform at least one of them of the exact reason for it. They are all dressed in comfortable athletic wear, even Hecate, who Pippa doesn’t think she’s ever seen wear a pair of suit trousers, let alone leggings - which is a crying shame, frankly, she thinks as she lets herself admire the long lines of the other woman’s legs, following them from her planted feet up to where Hecate’s arms are crossed ferociously across her chest in a long-sleeved running top. She’s entirely dressed in black, of course. Pippa doesn’t remember ever having seen her in anything brighter than a dark navy or an iron grey.</p><p>“Are you to say, Ada, that I have been dragged from my bed at six o’clock in the morning to be subjected to this…New-Age tomfoolery?”</p><p>“Yes I am, dear,” Ada says, patiently. “Miss Pentangle pointed out the need for everyone to reconnect, and I really think a group exercise class would be a good place to start.”</p><p>“I assumed we were going for a short run around the courtyard,” Hecate’s voice is disbelieving. “All of us in one room for an hour, with no one watching the girls? Who knows what state the school will be in by the time we are finished with these ridiculous exercises.”</p><p>“Come on, Miss Hardbroom,” Dimity’s tone is suspiciously cheerful. “You never know. This class might surprise you.”</p><p>Miss Hardbroom gives a pointed sniff, turning her nose up haughtily. “Well, I for one shall not stay to make a fool of myself. Indeed, I should say there is nothing you could say that could possibly persuade me to-”</p><p>Pippa grits her teeth, and before Hecate can finish her sentence, strides into the hall with her guest in tow, and cuts her off with a bright, “Sorry! I hope we’re not late!”</p><p>Hecate whirls around, looks straight at her, and to Pippa’s puzzlement looks like she might faint with shock. Dimity beams.</p><p>They all stand staring for a few long, seconds, and Pippa shifts nervously under Hecate’s gaze, suddenly very aware of her bright pastel leggings, and shocking-pink sports bra, tugging uncomfortably on the end of the blonde ponytail she’s scraped back with a pink scrunchie she’s had since the early nineties. <em> Of course</em>. To the sensible, sombrely-clad Hecate Hardbroom, she probably looks like Yoga Class Barbie, and she flushes the same colour as her scrunchie even as she plasters on a defiant smile. Hecate goes beet red to her roots.</p><p>“Pippa,” Hecate chokes, undoubtedly scandalised.</p><p>“Oh, good morning Miss Hardbroom!” Pippa keeps her tone as formal as if they were taking tea at the Ritz to cover her embarrassment. Dimity is muffling giggles behind her hand. Miss Cackle is studiously gazing at the ceiling, appearing to have been struck temporarily deaf and blind to what is going on around her.</p><p>“Miss Pentangle,” Hecate tries again, drawing herself up and seeming to shake off whatever stupor had temporarily gripped her. “And…?”</p><p>“Oh!” Pippa steps aside and gestures her visitor forwards, “May I introduce our teacher for this morning, Ms. Julie Hubble.” Julie, similarly attired in leggings and sports bra, steps forward and smiles, giving the assembled group a self-conscious little wave. </p><p>“Hiya.”</p><p>“Welcome, welcome!” Ada cries happily. “You’re Mildred Hubble’s mother, of course! It’s a pleasure to see you again.’</p><p>Julie grins. “I hope my Millie’s not been causing you too much trouble.”</p><p>As Hecate chokes and sputters in recognition, Pippa looks round at the rest of the room. Dimity, a little pink around the ears, is shaking Julie’s hand and keeping her eyes firmly on her face, telling her how much she’s looking forward to the class. Gwen and Algie are rolling out their mats on the floor with an air of mild bewilderment. “Right,” Pippa declares, “shall we get started then?” As she meets Hecate’s gaze, the severe science teacher swallows audibly. “I for one cannot wait to see everyone in action.”</p><p>Hecate inhales sharply, but to Pippa’s relief, she doesn’t seem to have any further objections. </p><p>It’s going to be a long hour.</p><p>***</p><p>Hecate stands with her arms folded, scowling, as Julie goes to take them through some basic poses. She starts with saluting the sun – fitting, as it begins its pale climb over the mountain. She takes them through the positions, and as the minutes pass Pippa starts to relax, focusing on Julie’s calm and reassuring voice.</p><p>She likes Julie Hubble a great deal. They had met in the pub, when Pippa had gone down into the town below for a drink after her first week at Cackle’s. She had been in desperate need of some time to herself, away from her new colleagues - well, one colleague in particular - and a G&amp;T or twelve to settle her nerves and stop her rethinking her decision to uproot her life down south and move up here in the first place. She’d had a good job in Berkshire as a secondary music teacher, a nice flat, and a life she enjoyed; but when the offer had come through to head up the department at Cackle’s - with its private funding and beautiful estate and curriculum begging to be overhauled to something more modern for the girls - she hadn’t thought twice about accepting. And Ada Cackle had seemed so lovely, and warm, and open to new ideas; she’d left their Skype interview with a light heart and boundless optimism that lasted until two hours into her first day, when she’d been introduced to Miss Hecate Hardbroom.</p><p>It was her own fault they’d gotten off on the wrong foot, she muses ruefully, remembering their first encounter with the same hot flash of embarrassment she’d felt only five minutes ago. Ada had been parading her around the school to be presented to her new colleagues after their induction meeting, and she’d already had such delightful and reassuring chats with Gwen, and Dimity, and Algie, that she was utterly unprepared for the imposing figure of the Deputy Headmistress as Ada called her out of her Second Form physics class to meet their new arrival.</p><p>Hecate Hardbroom appeared before her like a thrown knife, all sharp edges and glinting steel. Her black hair was yanked back into the tightest bun Pippa had ever beheld, and her eyes glittered darkly in appraisal. She was tall and slim and graceful as a ballet dancer; her face was elegant lines and arched brows, the dress she wore exquisitely tailored, her eyeliner winged, her lipstick flawless. Pippa had been struck dumb by her presence, at once intimated and pleasantly awed by the stark beauty of the woman who extended her hand towards her and coolly rumbled, “A pleasure, Miss Pentangle.”</p><p>Pippa had been utterly flustered. </p><p>She knows she eventually accepted Hecate’s hand, fumbling slightly, and had stuttered back her own greeting while the other teacher’s brow had creased in confusion, and eventually derision, as Pippa proved herself incapable of answering any of her polite questions with anything approaching poise and aplomb. She stumbled her way through the conversation, mentally kicking herself for being s<em>uch a teenager </em> when faced with a woman she found attractive, but there was just something about Hecate that had thrown her off her feet at first meeting, and she’d never quite been able to recover. By the Friday evening, she’d managed to have several more mortifying interactions with the Deputy Head, trying but never managing to prove that she wasn’t the twittering, blushing ninny that she must absolutely appear to be. Eventually, she’d just given up trying to talk to her. </p><p>It was in that state of defeated frustration that she’d excused herself to the The Albion for the evening, and was disconsolately sipping on her second gin when Julie Hubble had appeared, swathed in a big coat, to tack up a sign on the pub noticeboard. She’d smiled genially at Pippa when she saw her watching, and gestured her curly head in the direction of the notice. “Don’t suppose you’re interested in some yoga, are you?”</p><p>Pippa had made a non-committal noise, and Julie had wandered over, handing her a flyer identical to the one she had just pinned up. “Just down at the community centre. Saturday mornings; or Tuesday and Thursday evenings if that suits better.”</p><p>Pippa had gazed at it slightly morosely. “I’m up at the school all during the week,” she’d replied. “But, maybe-”</p><p>“Oh, are you a teacher, then?” Julie enquired cheerfully. “Not Cackle’s by any chance?” At Pippa’s inquiring look, she continued, “My daughter’s up there. Mildred Hubble?”</p><p>“I’m not sure I’ve met her yet,” Pippa had offered quietly. “I’m new.”</p><p>“Ah,” Julie responded, and pulled out a chair, dropping into it lightly now they’d got a conversation going. “How you finding it?”</p><p>Pippa had screwed up her face and Julie winced sympathetically. “Millie had a bit of a tough time when she started. She’s in Miss Harbroom’s form.” When Pippa’s eyes flicked meaningfully up to meet hers, Julie laughed. “She’s a bit of a holy terror, isn’t she.”</p><p>To her absolutely horror, Pippa had felt her eyes well up - damn the gin - and Julie had quickly reached over and covered her hand with her own. “Oh, here, love! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to upset you.”</p><p>And that was how Pippa had found herself pouring her heart out to Julie Hubble, who’d stripped out of her coat and ordered them another couple of drinks, about her whole humiliating week and her sudden self-doubt; and Julie had listened, and talked, and made her laugh, and assured her that everyone had bad starts sometimes, and by the end of the evening she had left with Julie’s phone number, considerably cheerier and all signed up for a Saturday yoga class.</p><p>Since then, she’s seen Julie almost every weekend for classes, and sometimes for a drink, and occasionally for a film and a gab, and she’s formed a firm friendship with the other woman. She’s great company, and has a wicked sense of humour, and above all she’s easy to talk to. Her support and advice had helped get Pippa through most of her first term here, as she settled in and regained her confidence, and her relationship with Hecate had smoothed out somewhat to the point where Hecate seems to respect her as a colleague and educator now, if nothing else. She’d even eventually admitted to Julie, over one too many glasses of wine, that she has a certain...admiration, for Miss Hardbroom. Julie had howled uproariously, and taken the piss for a solid ten minutes, but she’d also patted Pippa on the head and told her that at least she was pretty, even if her judgement was terrible. “You don’t half make things hard for yourself, d’you,” she’d snorted, and poured Pippa another glass while Pippa admitted that, yeah, she was probably right.</p><p>“And now we want to reach down and touch our toes – or at least as far as you can get.”</p><p>Julie’s voice cuts into her reverie, and Pippa goes down rather gracefully – and so does Miss Bat, to Pippa’s disbelief.</p><p>“You know, I remember when women’s health was all the rage,” the old woman says happily to Mr Rowan-Webb, who has misunderstood the exercise entirely, and is touching his toes with his knees sticking out in a manner that’s not too dissimilar to a frog. “They used to put on a record, and we all did calisthenics.”</p><p>Even Miss Cackle is making a good go at it, and Julie nods approvingly. “That’s good Miss Cackle. Just imagine weights stretching from your fingers and pulling you towards the ground.”</p><p>Beside her, Dimity is gritting her teeth, still very far from touching her toes. “Come on, Miss Drill,” Julie says encouragingly. “I would have thought this would come naturally to someone as sporty as you.” Head turned to the side to watch, Pippa smirks at her, and Dimity scowls back.</p><p>“I’m trying,” she huffs. “Do you think you could show me what I’m doing wrong?”</p><p>“Oh yeah – of course. So I think it’s probably in your back, if you just…” Julie runs her hand down Dimity’s spine. “So if you can just feel it from your hips, then maybe…”</p><p>As Julie presses on her back, Dimity manages to stretch further, and the tips of her fingers are grazing the floor.</p><p>‘Brilliant, Dimity!’ Julie beams in pleasure. Dimity has a wide grin and an equally pleased flush on her face, although Pippa’s not sure if it’s from the exertion, or from Julie’s smile and the pressure of her hand on her back. She catches Dimity’s gaze again and quirks an eyebrow, and Dimity has the good grace to look a bit sheepish.</p><p>“Strange, Miss Drill,”’ Hecate drawls, “I might have thought that touching one’s toes was an essential requirement for a <em> P.E. teacher</em>.”</p><p>Dimity blushes tomato red, and Julie straightens up at her side and turns to Hecate, baring her teeth rather more than normal smiling allows. </p><p>“Maybe you might find it easier, Miss Hardbroom. Why don’t you show us?” It’s cheeky, and Pippa’s relieved when Hecate merely rolls her eyes.</p><p>“Ms. Hubble, I can quite assure you that you are no more capable of making me touch my toes than you are of turning me into a pumpkin.”</p><p>“Oh, don’t be a spoilsport, Hecate,” Pippa snaps, bringing her arms upwards and holding them perpendicular to her body, knees bent exactly as Julie showed her. “Julie didn’t come all this way for you not to join in with the fun.” </p><p>It’s bold, and it’s impudent, and she honestly has no idea where it comes from, but Pippa can only blame her flash of courage on the presence of Julie Hubble, who’s looking at her with raised eyebrows. Ada also seems slightly taken aback - none of the staff ever really <em> snap </em> at Miss Hardbroom, let alone call her a ‘spoilsport’ - but Dimity snorts, and Gwen smiles benignly, and Pippa softens her words by turning contrite eyes on her colleague in the hope that she takes the censure in the spirit in which it was intended.</p><p>Hecate looks mutinous.</p><p>“Regardless of the fact that I did not ask anyone to travel, and I was commandeered here under certain pains-” and with that she gives Dimity a sour look, “You should be glad that I am not running away at the mere mention of the word <em> yoga</em>.”</p><p>“But you’re so good at your exercises,”’ Gwen argues helpfully, as the rest of the class unbend their knees and lean backwards, arms outstretched. “You always were – I remember when you were on the school gymnastics team.” </p><p>The entire room falls silent.</p><p>Pippa, simultaneous with virtually every other person in the room, looks at Gwen Bat - smiling distantly at some point on her yoga mat - and then at Hecate, who is standing frozen in the centre of the room, eyes wide and horrified. </p><p>“You what?” Dimity says neutrally, although Pippa can hear the swell of disbelief and incoming delight trembling at the edge of her voice. Hecate opens her mouth to say something, but Gwen isn’t finished driving this particular bus over her yet.</p><p>“Oh yes, she was <em> very </em> good,” Gwen continues, oblivious to the death stare being levelled at her back. She stretches her arms forwards, and nods, seemingly to herself. “She competed nationally. Won a few titles, didn’t you dear? The trophies are still in the storeroom somewhere.”</p><p>“Trophies?” Dimity squeaks out, her whole body starting to quiver with glee.</p><p>“Mmmm. And I think I still have some pictures in my office. Newspaper clippings, that sort of thing.”</p><p>“Of Hecate in a leotard?”</p><p>“Of Hecate <em> competing at a national level</em>,” the newly exposed gymnast grits out in a low voice.</p><p>“In a <em> leotard?” </em></p><p>Dimity looks like she’s having the best day of her life, and Hecate is looking like she’s about to go positively nuclear, and Pippa is too dumbfounded by the sudden image of Hecate’s lean, lithe figure in a black leotard to even consider intervening (<em>That explains the legs, then</em>, she thinks, usefully) but fortunately Julie has enough presence of mind to step in between the combatants and hold her hands up in a gesture of diffusion. </p><p>“Alright, alright. Let’s not lose focus on the matter in hand. Although,” she drops her hands and shrugs, regarding Hecate with an amused air, “that is certainly a turn up for the books.”</p><p>“Something funny, Ms. Hubble?” Julie catches Pippa’s eye, and then looks back at Hecate, smirking.</p><p>“No, Miss Hardbroom. I must say that I can’t imagine you doing anything like that now, though.” Rising to the bait, Hecate raises a haughty eyebrow.</p><p>“Just because I do not cavort around school grounds with netballs and hockey sticks, that does not mean that I am not more than capable of the discipline needed to maintain excellent physical form.”</p><p>Julie rolls her eyes at her melodramatic delivery, but Pippa Pentangle can’t help but bite her lip as her mind tries to extrapolate just exactly what Hecate’s ‘excellent physical form’ might look like under those running clothes. She sees Hecate glance her way and averts her eyes quickly, pretending to stretch. When she looks back, Hecate is blushing faintly.</p><p>“Alright then,” Julie looks Hecate dead in the eyes, “let’s make a deal. If I can plank for longer than you, then you have to actually take part in the exercises.” Hecate narrows her eyes.</p><p>“And if you fail?” </p><p>Julie shrugs. “Then you don’t have to come to classes anymore.”</p><p>Hecate considers her. Pippa can see how tempted she is by the thought.</p><p>“Very well then. May the best woman win…Ms. Hubble.”</p><p>***</p><p>“Are you sure about this?” Pippa asks lowly, as Julie adjusts her yoga mat so that it’s facing Hecate’s, and puts her phone next to her on the floor. Julie looks at Pippa wryly, as she flicks it onto the timer setting. </p><p>“I think I’ll be alright.”</p><p>“No, it’s not-” Pippa glances up to where Hecate is taking a few minutes to stretch out. Ada is haranguing her lightly, arms folded, glasses low on the bridge of her nose; Pippa hears the words ‘...<em>would</em> <em>just a </em>little <em>cooperation hurt you’</em> float over, and she can’t help the smile that tugs the side of her mouth. “It’s just, you know how she can be.”</p><p>“Ah. Worried about her bruising her ego, are you?” Pippa glares at her friend, pouting. Julie is unruffled.</p><p>“I just don’t want to be the one she blames for bringing you in here and denting her pride.”</p><p>“Well, maybe she should just have done the bloody class, then,” Julie retorts good-naturedly, sipping from her water bottle, “instead of thinking she could spend the hour staring at your arse.”</p><p>Pippa, whose gaze had wandered back over to observe Hecate sitting very comfortably in a box split and folding forward towards the floor - <em> oh god, oh god, she’s flexible - </em> whips back around to face her friend. “What?!”</p><p>“You heard me.”</p><p>“She was not,” Pippa insists, heat rising in her face and settling low in her belly. “Was she?<em> ” </em></p><p>“She was,” Julie confirms, not even trying to hold back her amusement. “She was observing your uttan<em>ass</em>ana” (she makes air quotes with a grin) “<em>very </em> closely.”</p><p>“I-” the blush had reached Pippa’s scalp, and Julie was openly laughing at her now.</p><p>“What’s the problem? You fancy her; she fancies you.”</p><p>“She does <em> not</em>!” Pippa is unsure why she’s being so vehement about it. But Hecate doesn’t fancy her; Hecate thinks she’s a nitwit. She <em> doesn’t</em>. Does she?</p><p>Oh god, please let Hecate fancy her.</p><p>“She’s literally looking at you right now.”</p><p>It takes an act of iron will for Pippa not to spin around on the spot and confirm what Julie’s telling her, but at the same time, she can <em> feel </em>Hecate’s eyes on her back, even from floor level, and the heat in her abdomen expands and tightens. She’s saved from further revelation as Dimity comes over to smile shyly at Julie and wish her good luck.</p><p>“Not on your esteemed colleague’s side for this one, Miss Drill?” Julie asks impishly.</p><p>“If you make her fall on her face, I will love you forever,” Dimity declares, and then blushes, because apparently blushing is all any of them can do these days. Julie laughs gently.</p><p>“Shall we?” Hecate has peeled herself off the floor and come to stand at her mat. She drops lightly to her knees, mirroring Julie’s pose, and raises a challenging eyebrow. Pippa purposely doesn’t look at her. “Whenever you’re ready?”</p><p>“Absolutely,” Julie says, and as both women stretch themselves forward, she hits the button on her phone to start the timer and winks up at Pippa and Dimity. “This won’t take a minute.”</p><p>***</p><p>Pippa knows that Julie is an excellent yoga teacher and able sportswoman with a four-minute plank, but the fourth minute has now passed, and Pippa can see that she is bright red with the exertion. Hecate Hardbroom on the other hand seems for the most part unperturbed, her body perfectly suspended, not a hint of a tremble in her arms. Pippa tells herself she’s not in awe.</p><p>“Ready to give in, Miss Hardbroom?” Julie pants, glaring at the other woman, who merely regards her with easy condescension.</p><p>“What was that, Ms. Hubble? Only your voice was shaking so much I couldn’t quite hear.”</p><p>Julie looks up at the other teachers, standing in a wide circle around them, a silent plea for help in her eyes. Dimity is the first to take the hint.</p><p>“Hey, Hecate, forgot to mention, I think Mildred Hubble was plotting something with her friends yesterday? Something involving the chemistry lab?”</p><p>“Nice try, Miss Drill,” Hecate says in a low voice. “But it will take more than Mildred Hubble and her miscreant friends to distract me.” </p><p>Getting the idea, Ada steps forward. “Oh Hecate, dear,” She says, pleasantly. “Do you know I think we might have forgotten to send off the moderation of the upper sixth’s coursework?”</p><p>“Well then, if that were true, I suppose they should all fail,” Hecate says, ironically. “Of course, I distinctly remember sending them off myself, in order of grade, but I suppose I could check again, after I have vanquished Ms. Hubble.”</p><p>Julie wobbles dangerously. If even fear of poor administration isn’t enough to distract Hecate, then Pippa knows Julie is going to lose this competition, and with it any hopes of forcing Hecate Hardbroom to do yoga. And <em> she </em>won’t find out if Hecate fancies her, not if she’s got time to recoup after the class. The stakes are serious. She worries her lip for a minute, and then makes a decision. Either this will work, or she’s about to make a total fool of herself and probably get fired. Oh, well. Nothing ventured. She drops to sit next to the warring women’s heads.</p><p>“You’re so strong, Hecate,” she says, her voice a low purr, barely audible to Julie, let alone the rest of the room. “Look at your arms. If I’d known, I might have had a few suggestions for how to put them to use before now.”</p><p>Hecate stiffens, her eyes going round as she inclines her head so she can see Pippa properly. “I beg your pardon?”</p><p>“I had no idea you had so much...stamina.” Pippa bites her lip coyly as she gazes directly at Hecate. “Or that you enjoyed such a thorough workout.” </p><p>Hecate is staring at her as if she’s grown an extra head, her eyes flicking between Pippa and Julie - blessedly pretending she can’t hear a word - and Pippa can see the uncertainty there. She can see something else as well though, as Hecate’s pupils widen and her irises turn a darker, warmer brown.</p><p>“Maybe after all this, you could show me some of your moves. In a private session. We could work up a sweat.” Hecate’s lips are parted in shock, like she can’t believe what Pippa’s saying, and Pippa is willing to bet that her staccato breathing has very little to do with the planking. She doesn’t blame her; she can’t quite believe she’s saying it either. But in for a penny, as the saying goes, and so she bends her head forward so her words fall only into Hecate’s ear.</p><p>“Julie says you like my arse.”</p><p>Hecate turns the colour of a beetroot and her arms give out, leaving her flat on the floor. Dimity whoops in delight.</p><p>Pippa keeps her gaze innocently on the wall as Julie collapses down onto her mat, and Dimity kneels beside her to pat her on the shoulder and congratulate her heartily. She examines the woodwork, heart hammering, until she finally lowers her head to see Hecate Hardbroom watching her intently, flat on her back, hair plastered to her forehead with perspiration, expression cross and curious but not at all angry. “That,” Hecate manages, catching her breath, “was cheating.”</p><p>“All’s fair in love and war,” Pippa says cheerfully, and holds a hand out to help Hecate up. The other woman takes it tentatively and allows Pippa to pull her to her feet. “And that was very impressive, by the way.” To her surprise, Hecate doesn’t drop her hand immediately. She still looks confused, but also a little bit shy, and maybe even a little bit hopeful.</p><p>“It would have been more impressive if you hadn’t resorted to underhanded behaviour.”</p><p>“Then I shall expect you to thoroughly reprimand me,” Pippa replies, in low tones. She has absolutely no earthly idea what’s come over her, but Miss Hardbroom doesn’t seem to mind. She just flushes, and purses her lips lightly, and drops her hand.</p><p>“Right!” Julie says loudly, clapping her hands and breaking the spell. “Now that that’s sorted, we can move on to some more strenuous stretches. This next one’s called the cobra – and Miss Hardbroom, I assume you’ll be joining us this time.”</p><p>“Of course,” Hecate answers smoothly, leaning down to pick up her mat and move it back in line with the others. As she tucks it under her arm, she passes close to Pippa, and she murmurs to her as she brushes by:</p><p>“Incidentally, Miss Pentangle,” and her eyes dart down to Pippa’s backside so quickly Pippa knows only she will have noticed it, “Julie was right.”</p><p>She meets the music teacher’s eye and delivers her a deliciously smug smirk.</p><p>***</p><p>The rest of the class passes mostly without incident. Hecate and Pippa steal glances at one another when they think they won’t get caught, and Miss Bat horrifies Julie by successfully bending into the bridge pose (some things just should not be possible when one is over seventy.) As the class goes on, they begin to talk more and more during the workout. Every so often Pippa will say something witty that will make Julie chuckle, and the corners of Hecate’s lips turn up in a smile, and Dimity chats pleasantly with Miss Cackle in between poses about including yoga in the upcoming sports day</p><p>“She’ll probably have a lot more luck getting girls to sign up for this than cross-country,” Pippa murmurs to Hecate, and she gives a low laugh, tucking a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. Pippa has never heard Hecate laugh before. It is a rather beautiful sound. She meets Miss Cackle’s eye, and knows she is not the only one who heard, or has noticed Hecate’s shoulders relax, and the seemingly-permanent pinched look on her face fade somewhat. Something warm settles comfortably inside her and she smiles at her mat.</p><p>Indeed, things are going swimmingly until the last five minutes, as Julie takes them through their final move.</p><p> “And then we rotate our body upwards, and lift one arm – yes, very good, Miss Bat. This is a side plank, and…” As Julie reaches elegantly towards the ceiling, the strap of her sports bra slips, and falls down her shoulder.</p><p>“Ooh, drat,” Julie mutters, breaking her pose to fix it. All of a sudden there is an almighty crash. </p><p>Julie looks up startled – Dimity Drill is sprawled on the floor, groaning. Pippa, who had dropped down and sat up at the commotion, looks back at Hecate, and Hecate is laughing so hard that she has to give up on her position so that she can lie on her back and clutch at her sides. Considering Pippa only heard her laugh for the first time today, watching her giggle helplessly on the floor is at once astonishing and absolutely wonderful and Pippa finds her own laughter joining the fray. </p><p>“Oh, Dimity,” Julie springs up and hurries over to where she is lying. “Are you alright?”</p><p>“Fine, fine,” Dimity mutters, trying to regain some dignity as Julie kneels beside her and places a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>“Just take a couple of deep breaths, you don’t want to…” Julie is jostling Dimity into a more comfortable position, but Dimity is glaring murderously at Hecate. Hecate grins right back and her expression is pure schadenfreude. “Something distract you, Miss Drill?” she calls with acidic sweetness, and Pippa suddenly had a very strong suspicion about the secret leverage Dimity had wielded over Hecate to get her to come this morning. Julie has a hand laid almost tenderly on Dimity’s shoulder.</p><p>“Alright,” Julie says, marshalling them to attention like they’re all unruly students. “I think that’s how I want us to finish the class today.” She ignores Hecate wiping away tears of laughter, and Miss Cackle and Miss Bat exchanging incredulous yet knowing glances. “I want everyone to lie down on their backs, and place their hands on their stomachs.” She smiles dangerously at the class until they comply, Hecate muttering under breath but nevertheless obedient. “Now breathe in, and your stomach should grow, like it’s expanding. Count to five, and then exhale, and feel your stomach go back in.”</p><p>She lets them breathe for a moment, allows them to relax into the regular rhythm of inhale and exhale. “This is the kind of breathing we should be doing every day, but it’s also the kind of breathing that we forget to do when things get stressful, or we feel like we’re losing control. So just breathe in, and then out again.”</p><p>Julie looks at Pippa, gives her a meaningful nod, and adds,</p><p>“You lot all have so much on your plates. I can’t imagine the bother of having to control several hundred young girls, all with lots of hormones and not a brain cell between them sometimes. And you all cope so, so well. But sometimes, you need to just take a moment, close your eyes, and just breathe. In and out, like this.”</p><p>The class is quiet, the only sound the slow movement of breath. No pupils charging about, no blowing of whistles or ringing of bells. There’s such peace that Pippa can hear the faint chorus of birds far away in the school gardens.</p><p>Then all of a sudden, there is a loud bang.</p><p>“Mum?”</p><p>Julie whips round. A very confused Mildred is standing in the doorway to the hall, eyeing the teachers with a distinct nervousness. Pippa sighs.</p><p>“Mildred Hubble!” Hecate scrambles to her feet, sounding utterly appalled, and Pippa knows in that moment she has about ten seconds to sort things out before Mildred is forced to spend every night in detention until her eighteenth birthday.</p><p>“Mildred? What are you doing here?”</p><p>“I was coming back from lantern duty, and I heard my mum’s voice, and I thought maybe she’d had to come and see Miss Hardbroom...er, good morning, Miss Hardbroom.”</p><p>Mildred nods at her form mistress, who is seemingly determined not to meet anyone’s eye (meanwhile Dimity has sat up and is looking as though Christmas has come early.)</p><p>“So I thought I’d come and find you, but I didn’t mean to…whatever you guys like to do in your own time is your…look, I’ll just go, shall I?”</p><p>Mildred makes a beeline for the door, tripping a little on her own shoelaces in her haste.</p><p>“<em>Mil</em>-dred <em> Hub</em>-ble.”</p><p>Pippa’s heart sinks at Hecate’s icy tone as she steps towards Mildred, and Julie looks at her, worried.</p><p>“Hecate, I really think…”</p><p>“You are late back from lantern duty, and you are evidently not prepared for the physical fitness class that your mother is here to deliver to the lower school in less than half an hour. You must keep an eye on your timekeeping. I want to see a marked improvement by the end of this term. Now go and fetch your gym kit.” </p><p>Mildred’s answering smile is bright enough to light any number of lanterns around the castle.</p><p>“Yes, Miss Hardbroom.”</p><p>“Well then,” Hecate inclines her head, and Mildred sprints out of the door. Pippa knows she is not mistaking the kindness in Hecate’s gaze as she watches her go, and turns to see Dimity shrugging at an astonished Julie. “She’s actually very fond of her,” she hears her explain to Mildred’s mother.</p><p>“Ah well, no harm done,” Miss Cackle says, cheerfully. “And Mildred’s not the sort to spread things about the school – it might have been quite another matter had she brought Felicity Foxglove with her. But regardless, I think we all wish to say a tremendous thank you for the session this morning, Ms. Hubble.”</p><p>Ada leads a round of applause, and it’s Julie’s turn to blush horribly.</p><p>“Oh, it was nothing.”</p><p>“Are you joking?” Pippa grins at her. “I haven’t had that much fun in ages. Thank you so much for coming; and for helping me organise it, Dimity. And for letting us do it, Ada.”</p><p>“My pleasure, Miss Pentangle,” Ada says warmly. “Now, we have a while until the girls arrive; Miss Drill, Ms. Hubble, and I will set up the hall for the younger ones. Why don’t the rest of you take a little time to unwind before you have to come back and supervise the upper school?”</p><p>“Really, Ada,” Hecate says briskly. “There’s far too much work to do…”</p><p>“See, Ms. Hubble?” Ada declares to a smiling Julie. “Have you ever seen a woman more deserving of a morning off? Go and enjoy the sunshine with Pippa, dear.” Pippa colours at having been caught out so obviously.</p><p>“But Ada…”</p><p>Hecate begins to argue back, but even as she speaks Miss Cackle draws her to one side, speaks to her so quietly that Pippa has to strain her ears to hear. </p><p>“I’ve let you run yourself ragged for too long. And I’m not ashamed to say that it was watching you relax a little this morning that made me realise just how much weight you’ve been carrying on your shoulders.” Hecate ducks her head, and Pippa is taken aback by the sudden vulnerability in her look.</p><p>“It’s my job,” she mutters.</p><p>“Your job is taking care of the children and our school – both of which you excel at. But you need to take care of yourself – and it’s my job both as your Headmistress and as your friend to make sure you are doing so. So, this is not advice, but an order. Take the morning off, Hecate. And take it with Miss Pentangle, for goodness sake.” Ada’s eyes crinkle softly, and Pippa realises with a start that while she’s been confiding in Julie all these months, it’s just possible the indomitable Hecate Hardbroom has been having similar conversations with Ada. She watches as Hecate takes in a long, deep breath, and then nods, eyes bright and wet.</p><p>“Thank you, Ada,” Hecate whispers, and a moment passes between the two of them, as Ada squeezes Hecate’s arm and smiles her warm, gentle smile at her deputy.</p><p>Hecate blinks, and clears her throat, walking over to where Pippa is shrugging on a light jumper over her workout gear. It’s strange, Pippa thinks, the whirlwind they’ve been through in just the past hour - she’s watched Hecate transform in front of her from polite-but-distant colleague, to surreptitious admirer, to incorrigible flirt, and now she stands awkwardly, shyly, shifting from foot to foot in her leggings and sports top, looking more ruffled and more uncertain and yet more unwound than Pippa could ever have imagined. </p><p>“Fancy a walk?” </p><p>Pippa imagines her smile could rival the sunshine. “Sure.”</p><p>Hecate gives her a half smile as they turn to leave the gym hall, indicating over her shoulder with her head to where Dimity and Julie are chatting animatedly over a bag of yoga blocks. “I think you might have some company in your yoga classes on a Saturday from now on.”</p><p>Pippa laughs as they start to stroll, passing through the empty corridors and past the tall arched windows through which she can see the sunny expanses of the gardens. “I’m sure she’ll be more than welcome,” she grins, puckishly. “I know she’s always been one of Julie’s favourite teachers to, er, ‘call in on’, at parents’ night.” Hecate snorts and crosses her arms, and they meander outside in silence for a few moments until a nagging thought coalesces in Pippa’s mind and she turns to her companion.</p><p>“How did you know I take yoga classes on a Saturday?”</p><p>Hecate goes red, and Pippa thinks that their systems must have pushed enough blood around to their faces this morning that it’s a miracle they’re still standing upright. </p><p>“You were always out on Saturday mornings. I asked Miss Cackle. I hope you don’t mind.” She looks tentative, as if Pippa might find this monitoring of her comings and goings an affront and march off back indoors. Pippa makes sure her voice and expression are open enough to allay any fears.</p><p>“You could have asked me.”</p><p>“What,” Hecate says drily, “and let you know I was interested?” Pippa laughs brightly, and loops her arm through the other woman’s, forcing her to release them from their position across her chest. </p><p>“Heaven forfend.” They’re quiet for a moment, and then Pippa offers hesitatingly, “To be honest, I thought you thought I was an idiot.”</p><p>Hecate snorts again, “I thought you thought I was an uptight cow.” There’s a pointed pause while neither of them rushes to disagree with the other’s unflattering assessment, and then they meet each other’s eyes and laugh. </p><p>“I don’t think you’re an idiot.”</p><p>“I don’t think you’re a cow.” </p><p>Hecate huffs, “Ah, but you do think I’m uptight.” There’s no accusation in her tone, only self-deprecating amusement, and Pippa’s eyes twinkle where they meet hers.</p><p>“Full disclosure?” Hecate raises a conceding eyebrow. “You’re the whole reason I thought about bringing Julie up for these sessions in the first place. You just seemed so <em> tense </em> all the time. I thought maybe it would help.”</p><p>Hecate stops abruptly, and looks at her with an expression of exaggerated shock and dismay. “You mean, <em> I’m </em> responsible for the bloody yoga this morning?”</p><p>Pippa grins widely and solicitously. “Yep. You brought all this on yourself.”</p><p>Hecate schools her face into the stern expression Pippa is more familiar with, although she can see the laughter dancing just underneath. “Well, haven’t I learned a lot of things this morning.”</p><p>“Well, Miss Hardbroom,” Pippa murmurs, reaching down and lacing their fingers together as Hecate glances at their hands in pleased surprise; the sun is warm as she tilts her face up, the gardens deserted, and she can hear the noises of the girls off in the distance, safely ensconced in the castle on their way to their morning yoga lesson, and reassuringly unlikely to stumble upon them anytime soon. Pippa smiles. “Care to learn a few more?”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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